Closure device for a drinking container

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a closure device ( 3 ) for a drinking container ( 1 ) with an interior space ( 10 ) for receiving a drinking liquid and a container opening preferably arranged on the top side, into which container opening the closure device ( 3 ) with a receiving chamber ( 4 ) is provided, the contents of which can be introduced into the interior space ( 10 ). The invention is characterized in that the closure device ( 3 ) has an externally threaded part ( 5 ) at least in the upper area, which, with a lower cover surface ( 6 ) and connection elements ( 8 ) lying therebetween, forms a receiving chamber ( 4 ) which at least in the bottom area comprises an introduction opening ( 14 ). Thereby the contents of the receiving chamber ( 4 ) is freely releasable by a turning-in process. The drinking container preferably serves for the preparation of an unstable mixed beverage of creatine powder and an aqueous drinking solution.

The invention relates to a closure device for a drinking container with an interior space for receiving or containing a drinking liquid and a container opening preferably arranged on the top side, in which opening the closure device with at least one receiving chamber is provided, the contents of which can be introduced into the interior space, whereby the closure device has a threaded part at least in the upper area, which, with a lower or bottom cover surface, forms the receiving chamber, which at least in the bottom area comprises an introduction opening, through which the contents of the receiving chamber is freely releasable into the interior space by a screwing-in process, according to the main patent DE 10 2005 047 866 B3.

At the present time, there are many dietary compositions that are to be consumed especially before or during athletic activities.

These shall especially serve to improve the performance capability or to supply important dietary components. These dietary compositions mostly consist of an aqueous drinking solution and a solid or powder-form dietary supplement substance, which are admixed with one another and consumed in a drinking container. Especially with regard to isotonic dietary compositions, there are also already isotonic finished prepared drinks or beverages, for which the beverage bottler has already added the powder-form isotonic supplement substances to an aqueous solution, and which can be consumed on the spot as a finished prepared beverage from a concurrently distributed drinking container.

Such finished prepared beverages in the mixed state, however, often lose taste or effectiveness so that it is necessary to admix one or more dietary supplement substances into the drinking solution only on location shortly before consumption. For that purpose, the dietary supplement substances are usually supplied in powder form or as a solid substance in a soluble tablet form and are manually admixed with a potable drinking water or mineral water. This is very complicated or cumbersome especially in connection with athletic activity or at sport-related places of use, and requires separately bringing along a container of potable drinking water, a container with the dietary supplement substances as well as a separate drinking container for mixing and drinking the prepared beverage.

It is therefore the underlying object of the invention to provide a closure device or apparatus for a drinking container, with which dietary supplement components are admixable into a drink or beverage in a short time, and which is simple to handle, and through which absolutely no contaminants can get into the finished prepared drink or beverage.

This object is solved by the invention according to patent claim 1, in that the bottom cover area or surface is embodied as an unthreaded or threading-free floor plate, of which the outer rim comprises a sealing ring surface, which, in the closed state, lies in contact against a bottle throat or neck wall surrounding the receiving chamber or a surrounding adapter wall.

The invention has the advantage, due to the unthreaded or threading-free ring surface, that a water-tight sealing of the receiving chamber is achievable without special seal means solely through the press-on pressure of the upper threaded part. Simultaneously the invention has the advantage, due to the flat or rounded-off ring surface, that a dosed introduction into the drinking liquid is possible, which largely or substantially prevents a formation of clumps.

The invention further has the advantage, due to the unthreaded or threading-free floor plate, that a simple closing is possible even after the introduction of the dietary supplement substance, whereby the closed state can be easily determined due to the limiting or bounding on the contact surfaces.

Such a closure device also has the advantage that it consists only of a few simple easily-producible parts, that can be produced economically also as synthetic plastic injection molded parts in series or mass production. For that purpose, simply a container bottle with an internal threading and a closure device with an external threading are necessary, whereby advantageously the hollow space of the closure device simultaneously forms the receiving chamber for the dietary supplement substances, which through an addition or introduction opening in the bottom part automatically effectuates the emptying into the interior space of the drinking container by a rotating process, and thereby begins the mixing process.

Also advantageously, no separating substance can be damaged by the invention, so that such a receiving chamber, after the turning-back or return rotating, is again fillable at any time and thus can be used again by the user himself. Due to the turning or rotating closure, the drinking container can also be quickly disassembled or broken-down into its few component parts through complete screwing-out of the closure device, which component parts are then advantageously easy to clean for the reuse.

In a particular embodiment of the inventive closure device for a drinking container, simultaneously a closeable mouthpiece is arranged on the upper threaded part, through which mouthpiece the drinking liquid can be drunk immediately after the mixing process without further measures, and which also is again useable for the renewed filling-in of a dietary supplement substance. In that regard it can advantageously involve powder-form, liquid or soluble solid dietary supplement substances, which can be dosed nearly as desired.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the drinking container can also involve a conventional bottle with an external threading, in which simply an additional adapter with an internal threading and an external threading or a snap-on part is necessary, in order to utilize or insert this closure device.

The inventive closure device for a drinking container additionally has the advantage, that it is exceptionally well suited for the preparation of sports drinks, especially for the preparation and utilization of a strength-enhancing unstable drink or beverage of creatine and an aqueous solution.

The invention is explained more closely in connection with an example embodiment, which is shown in the drawing. It is shown by:

FIG. 1 a drinking container with internal threading and with a screwed-in closure device;

FIG. 2 an adapter piece for drinking bottles with external threading, and

FIG. 3 a drinking container with external threading and a three-part closure device.

FIG. 1 of the drawing shows a drinking container 1 with internal threading 2 of a screwed-in closure device 3, which comprises a receiving chamber 4 between an upper threaded part 5 and a lower or bottom cover area or surface 6, whereby the cover surface 6 is embodied as an unthreaded or threading-free floor plate with a sealing ring surface 7.

This closure device 3 preferably consists of the upper threaded part 5 and a lower or bottom cover surface 6, which are connected to one another by two or three webs or struts 8 as connection elements. In the screwed-in state or condition, the hollow space between the upper threaded part 5 and the lower or bottom cover surface 6 forms the receiving chamber 4, into which preferably a creatine powder as a dietary supplement substance is introduced. In that regard, the bottom cover surface 6 is additionally equipped or outfitted with a ball- or cone-like elevation 9, which is to ensure a complete emptying into the interior space 10 of the drinking bottle 1.

The upper threaded part 5 is still additionally provided with a mouthpiece 11, which is closeable by a cap 12 and forms an opening to the receiving chamber 4. For improving the screwing-in ability, the upper threaded part 5 is provided with an outwardly flaring screw-in head 13, which surrounds the external threading of the upper threaded part 5, and of which the spacing distance to the external threading corresponds to at least the thickness of the bottle neck or throat. Simultaneously this screw-in head 13 with its ring-shaped contact rim serves for limiting or bounding the screw-in depth. Thereby simultaneously also the rim height can serve as a marking for the minimum screw-in depth that is necessary so that the bottom cover surface 6 still lies in sealing contact on the inner wall of the bottle neck or throat.

The bottom cover surface 6 in that regard is embodied as an unthreaded or threading-free floor plate. This is preferably embodied as a round circular disk, which comprises approximately the same diameter as the upper threaded part 5. In that regard, the floor plate 6 on the outer rim of its circumference includes a rounded-off ring surface 7 which lies in sealing contact on the bottle neck or throat in the closed condition or state of the receiving chamber 4. The ring surface 7 can, however, also be embodied as a flat seal lip or as an inserted 0-ring seal.

The closure device 3 is preferably produced as a one-piece synthetic plastic injection molded part, which is screwable with its upper threaded part 5 into an internal threading 2 of the bottle neck or throat of the drinking bottle 1. In that regard, the seal lip or the rounded-off ring surface 7 is embodied so elastically that it lies in sealing contact on every location of the upper bottle neck or throat or in the threaded area 2.

In a simplified embodiment, the connection elements 8 can also be embodied as a vertical threaded surface or threaded struts, which simply must comprise, in the area of the lower floor plate 6, an inlet or introduction opening outwardly to the drinking bottle interior space 10.

Insofar as such a closure device 3 is, however, to be secured on a conventional glass bottle with an external threading, a rounded bottle rim for the snap-on sealing, or with an internal press-on connection, an adapter piece 15 can be provided, which is illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawing for a drinking bottle with external threading. This adapter piece 15 consists of a cylindrical continuous inner part 16, in which an internal threading 17 for receiving the closure device 3 is provided, and that is preferably embodied as a synthetic plastic or metal injection molded part. Coaxial thereto, an outwardly flaring rim part 10 is secured at the top, wherein the rim part comprises an enlarged internal threading parallel to the internal threading 19, whereby the enlarged internal threading engages into the external threading of the drinking bottle 1 that is to be utilized. Instead of the enlarged internal threading 19, such an adapter piece 15 can also comprise a snap closure that can be set onto typical conventional bottles with round neck rim for crown cork caps. Such an adapter part can, however, also be embodied so that it can be glued or welded into other glass or synthetic plastic containers. In a different embodiment the adapter piece 15 can also be fixed simply by a press-on force in the bottle neck or throat, whereby the outwardly flaring rim part 18 can be omitted.

Such an adapter part 15 can, however, also be provided for a drinking container with an internal threading. For that purpose, the adapter part 15 has an external threading on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical inner part 16, instead of the enlarged internal threading 19, whereby the external threading is screwed into the internal threading 2 of the drinking container 1. In that regard, the closure device 3 then consists of the upper threaded part 5, which is connected with the floor plate 6 via the webs or struts 8, and whereby the ring surface 7 then lies sealingly in contact on or against the lower or bottom rim 20 of the adapter part 15. Also a subsequent connection of the upper threaded part 5 with the lower floor plate 6 is conceivable, so that the upper threaded part 5 is inserted from the top and the floor plate 6 is inserted from the bottom into the adapter part 15, in order to join together both parts. This connection can be achieved by plugging, snapping or by a glued or adhesive bonded connection, and has the advantage that the sealing ring surface 7 does not need to be turned or screwed through the adapter part 15 or the internal threading 2 in the bottle neck or throat, and thereby a larger and wider contact surface for lying on or lying against is ensured.

An at least two-part embodiment of the closure device 3 of an upper threaded part 5 with lower floor plate 6 and an adapter piece 15 can also be provided for a drinking bottle 1 with an external threading 21, as this is illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawing.

In that regard, the closure device 3 consists basically of an adapter piece 15, as it is described in connection with FIG. 2 of the drawing, and an insert part 22 as well as a mouthpiece 11. The insert part 22 includes an upper threaded part 5 and a lower floor plate 6, which are connected with one another by axial webs or struts 8 as connection elements. In that regard, the floor plate 6 is provided with a cone-shaped elevation 9 and has on its circumference a flat lip-like seal surface 23 as a sealing ring surface 7.

For assembly, the insert part 22 is screwed into the adapter piece 15 from the bottom, and thus forms a two-part or three-part closure device 3. Thereby the inner wall 17 of the insert part 22, with the upper threaded part 5 and the lower cover plate 6, form the receiving chamber 4, which is still further covered from above by a mouthpiece 11 or a comparable termination part. In that regard, the mouthpiece 11 is also embodied as a separate component, which comprises approximately a diameter like the insert part 22. In the mouthpiece 11 there is still further provided an internal threading, which is screwed together with the upper threaded part 5 for closing the receiving chamber 4. However, the mouthpiece 11 can also be fixedly formed or molded onto the upper threaded part 5 of the insert part 22, whereby a threaded embodiment can be spared or omitted. The three-part embodiment of the closure device 3 with the separate mouthpiece 11, however, has the advantage that it can be cleaned more easily when the closure device 3 is reused often.

For closing the receiving chamber 4, the insert part 22 is screwed so far into the adapter piece 15, until the lip-like seal surface 23 lies in contact on or against the lower rim 20 of the adapter piece 15, and thereby effectuates a water-tight sealing of the receiving chamber 4. Then the mouthpiece 11 is screwed onto the upper threaded part 5 that protrudes above the adapter piece 15, until the mouthpiece lies in contact on its threaded end rim and is fixed in the mouthpiece 11.

Upon further turning the mouthpiece 11, then the closure device can be turned or screwed into the adapter piece 15 and therewith the receiving chamber 4 can be opened to the container interior space 10. Thereby the dietary supplement substance located in the receiving chamber 4 can exit in a doseable manner through the introduction opening 14 into the interior space 10 of the drinking container 1. For that purpose, the mouthpiece 11 can be turned so far into the adapter piece 15 until the lower rim 24 of the mouthpiece 11 lies in contact on the upper threaded part 5 of the insert part 22. In this turned-open position, the introduction opening 14 is completely opened, so that the dietary supplement substance can quickly get into the container interior space 10. Simultaneously due to the press-on pressure of the thread pitch or slope, the lower rim 24 of the mouthpiece 11 is strongly pressed onto the outer upper rim of the adapter piece 15, so that the receiving chamber 4 is sealed toward the outside without special seal means. Insofar as the mouthpiece 11 is closed at the top with a cap 12, the dietary supplement substance can be admixed with the water located in the drinking container 1 by shaking, and thereby can be prepared as a finished prepared drink or beverage. However, for the admixing, beforehand the receiving chamber 4 can again be closed by turning-back the upper threaded part 5, in order to prevent a soiling or contamination of the closure device 3. 

1. Closure device for a drinking container (1) with an interior space (10) for receiving a drinking liquid and a container opening preferably arranged on the top side, in which opening the closure device (3) with at least one receiving chamber (4) is provided, the contents of which can be introduced into the interior space (10), whereby the closure device (3) has a threaded part (5) at least in the upper area, which, with a lower cover surface (6), forms the receiving chamber (4) which at least in the lower area comprises an introduction opening (14), through which the contents of the receiving chamber (4) is freely releasable into the interior space (10) by a turning-in process, characterized in that the lower cover surface (6) is embodied as an unthreaded floor plate, of which the outer rim comprises a sealing ring surface (7), which in the closed condition lies in contact on a bottle neck wall surrounding the receiving chamber (4) or a surrounding adapter wall (20).
 2. Closure device according to claim 1, characterized in that the floor plate (6) is embodied with a round circular shape and comprises on the circumference a sealing ring surface (7), of which the diameter corresponds to at least the diameter of the internal threading (2) of the bottle neck or at least the inner diameter of the adapter part (15). 3-11. (canceled)
 12. Closure device according to claim 1, characterized in that the sealing ring surface (7) is embodied as a rounded-off or flat seal surface (23).
 13. Closure device according to claim 12, characterized in that the rounded-off seal surface is formed by an O-ring seal, which is fixed in a groove of the floor plate (6).
 14. Closure device according to claim 1, characterized in that connection struts (8) or threaded struts are arranged as connection elements between the upper threaded part (5) and the floor plate (6).
 15. Closure device according to claim 1, characterized in that a ball- or cone-like elevation (9) in the direction of the upper threaded part (5) is arranged on the lower floor plate (6).
 16. Closure device according to claim 1, characterized in that a mouthpiece (11) is arranged on the upper threaded part (5), and the mouthpiece comprises a drinking opening from the outside to the receiving chamber (4).
 17. Closure device according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure device (3) is embodied as a synthetic plastic injection molded part.
 18. Closure device according to claim 1, characterized in that an adapter piece (15) is arranged between a drinking bottle (1) with an external threading (21), a drinking bottle (1) with an internal threading (2), a drinking bottle (1) with a rounded-off bottle neck rim, or a drinking bottle (1) with an inner press-on connection, and a closure device (3) of the upper threaded part (5) and the lower floor plate (6).
 19. Closure device according to claim 18, characterized in that the closure device (3) of the upper threaded part (5) and the lower floor plate (6) is receivable by an internal threading (17) of a cylinder-shaped inner part (16) of the adapter piece (15), and that the adapter piece (15) at the top has an outwardly flaring rim part (18) with a smooth inner part, an enlarged internal threading (19) or a snap rim for securing on a rounded-off bottle neck.
 20. Closure device according to claim 19, characterized in that the adapter piece (15) is embodied as a synthetic plastic injection molded part or a metal part.
 21. Closure device according to claim 18, characterized in that the adapter piece (15) is embodied as a synthetic plastic injection molded part or a metal part. 